Zebra Crayfish (Cherax peknyi) - 3 to 4 inch Young Adult

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Choose a Variant:

1 Zebra Crayfish

1 B-Grade Zebra Crayfish

1 Juvenile Zebra Crayfish

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* For the safety of our animals, we now ship cherax crayfish exclusively via UPS Next Day Air. If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS Next Day Air as a shipping option during checkout *

Also known as "Asian Tiger Lobster", this is one of the largest freshwater crayfish available and features stunning pastel colors.

The Zebra Crayfish (Cherax peknyi) is a fairly recently discovered and uncommon species of crayfish native to Papua, Indonesia. This crayfish is also commonly known as the Asian Tiger Freshwater Lobster, though true lobsters do not exist in freshwater. Orange, blue, white, and black are all distinctly shown on this crayfish. The Zebra Crayfish breeds easily in the aquarium, but the fry are extremely slow growing. In fact, many of our specimens have bred in our tanks at our facility!

This particular crayfish is relatively active and spends plenty of time exploring the floor of the aquarium in search of food. The Zebra Crayfish is an omnivorous scavenger and will eat most any meaty or plant-based foods. This crayfish should not be kept with ornamental live plants as it will eat them at a surprising rate.

As it reaches adulthood, the Zebra Crayfish will become relatively territorial, so it may behave aggressively towards other animals in the tank. It is important that ample hiding places such as rockwork, driftwood, or PVC pipes be provided. This is even more crucial when housing multiple crayfish in the same tank. Due to the size and waste production of this crayfish, a minimum 30-gallon, well-filtered aquarium is necessary for one adult. A larger aquarium of 55 gallon or larger aquarium can house multiple adults of similar size. This is a reasonably hardy animal, but regular water changes are vital to its optimal health. Other bottom-dwelling invertebrates and fish should not be kept with large crayfish. It is possible to keep mid- and upper-level, fast-swimming fish with the Zebra Crayfish, but crayfish are opportunistic feeders and will generally eat whatever they can catch.

As with all of our crayfish, the coloration of the Zebra Crayfish is EXTREMELY high quality - much higher quality than others on the market. This crayfish may TEMPORARILY change color and hide more than usual after molting, which may occur during shipping. If your crayfish is not blue and you find a molt in the bag or in your aquarium, do not worry; this is normal and the bright color will return in 2 weeks or less.

*IMPORTANT* Please "Choose a Variant" above before adding this crayfish to your cart. The variants we're currently offering are:

1 B-Grade Zebra Crayfish (Cherax peknyi) - 3 to 4 inch Young Adult (All of our “B-Grade” crayfish are simply specimens that are missing legs or claws. Loss of appendages is not permanent and happens commonly with crustaceans. They are completely healthy with excellent coloration and will completely regenerate lost appendages within 1 to 2 molts (about 2 to 3 months).

1 Juvenile Zebra Crayfish (Cherax peknyi) - 1+ inch (A younger and smaller variant of Zebra Crayfish at a lower price than our young adult specimens. This is a particularly fast-growing, hardy species and will usually grow well into adult size and coloration within 1 to 3 months. In the meantime, any customers who choose to go with a juvenile specimen can save some money and experience the excitement of watching their little crayfish grow!)

Diet: Omnivorous. High-quality sinking pellets, plants, and freeze-dried or frozen meaty foods will be readily accepted. Cuttlebone should be added to the aquarium to supplement calcium, which will aid in exoskeleton production.

Social Behavior: Can be aggressive/territorial with other crayfish, but is much less so than Procambarus species such as the Electric Blue Crayfish.

Origin: Papua, Indonesia

Average Adult Size: 5 - 6 inches (12.7 - 15.2 cm)

Average Purchase Size: 3 - 4 inches (7.6 - 10 cm) or larger

Recommended Aquatic Arts tank mates: Fast-moving fish (such as Celestial Pearl Danios, Rasboras, Guppies, etc.). While dwarf shrimp can be kept succesfully with these crayfish, caution should be exercised, as the crayfish have been known to catch and eat slow, sick, or particularly small shrimp. Cichlids can be aggressive toward crayfish and should not be kept in the same tank. Bottom-dwelling tankmates should definitely be avoided.

All Aquatic Arts brand plants and animals come with a 100% live arrival guarantee, plus free email support directly from the owners!